Hematological malignancies are types of cancers that affect the blood, the bone marrow, and the lymph nodes. They derive from either of the two major blood cell lineages namely, the myeloid and lymphoid lineages. The myeloid lineage normally produces granulocytes, erythrocytes, thrombocytes, macrophages and mast cells; whereas, the lymphoid lineage produces B, T, Natural Killer (NK), and plasma cells. Acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative diseases are examples of hematological malignancies of myeloid origin, while lymphomas, lymphocytic leukemias, and myeloma are examples of hematological malignancies of the lymphoid lineage.
Multiple myeloma is a form of cancer that affects a type of white blood cell called the plasma cell. Multiple myeloma appears in the bone marrow, which is the soft tissue inside the bones that makes stem cells. In multiple myeloma, plasma cells, which mature from stem cells and typically produce antibodies to fight germs and other harmful substances, become abnormal. These abnormal cells are called myeloma cells. In 2009, an estimated 20,580 cases of multiple myeloma were diagnosed in the United States. As the most common type of plasma cell cancer, effective treatment requires an accurate diagnosis and precise treatment.
Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare, slow-growing, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (i.e., a cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system). WM is also called lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Lymphoplasmacytic cells are cells that are in the process of maturing from B cells to plasma cells. In WM, abnormal lymphoplasmacytic cells multiply out of control, producing large amounts of a protein called monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM or “macroglobulin”) antibody. High levels of IgM in the blood cause hyperviscosity (thickness or gumminess), which leads to many of the symptoms of WM. WM is a rare cancer; about 1,500 new cases occur annually in the United States.
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), also known as chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL), is the most common type of leukemia. It is a blood and bone marrow disease that usually gets worse slowly. It often occurs during or after middle age; it rarely occurs in children.
Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by an excess of white blood cells in the lymph nodes. SLL accounts for about 4-5% of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In SLL the patients are elderly (median age 60 years) and usually present with diffuse lymphadenopathy and some degree of marrow and peripheral blood involvement. Men and women appear to develop the disease equally.
While there are existing methods to diagnose, predict, and treat hematological malignancies, improved methods are urgently needed.